SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING WHEN TO UPDATE A PACKAGE MANAGER SOFTWARE

• US 20110296398A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Antill, James, Vidal, Seth Kelby
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for determining when to update a package manager software on a client. An update tool can interface with a package manager running a first version of the package manager software to inspect an available update to a package installed on the client. The update tool can determine that a second version of the package manager software is require to install the update to the package. The update tool can access the second version of the package manager software, remove the first version of the package manager software from the package manager, and unpack and install the second version of the package manager software on the package manager. Further, the update tool can install the update to the package installed on the client, and can update other resources associated with the client as appropriate.

Claims

1. A method of ensuring compatibility between a package manager software and an update to a package installed on a client, comprising:

inspecting, using a first version of the package manager software, requirements for the update to the package prior to installing the update to the package;

determining, based on the inspection, that a second version of the package manager software is required to install the update to the package; and

updating the package manager software from the first version to the second version prior to installing the update to the package.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing, using the second version of the package manager software, the update to the package on the client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inspecting the requirements for the update to the package comprises extracting a version of the package manager software required to install the update to the package.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining that the second version of the package manager software is required to install the update to the package comprises comparing the extracted version with the first version of the package manager software.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the package manager software from the first version to the second version comprises:

accessing, using the first version of the package manager software, a package comprising the second version of the package manager software;

removing the first version of the package manage software from the client; and

installing the second version of the package manager software on the client.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the package further comprises files associated with installing the update to the package.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the update to the package comprises an identification of dependencies of the package with the second version of the package manager software.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the package manager software is updated and the update to the package is installed by an update tool associated with a package manager.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a user of the client that the second version of the package manager software is required to install the update to the package.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second version of the package manager software is more than one iteration from the first version of the package manager software.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one resource on the client for which an update is necessary to support the second version of the package manager software; and

updating the determined at least one resource on the client.

12. A system for ensuring compatibility between a package manager software and an update to a package installed on a client, comprising:

an update tool that interfaces with a package manager; and

a processor configured to perform operations comprising;

communicating with the update tool;

inspecting, using a first version of the package manager software, requirements for the update to the package prior to installing the update to the package;

determining, based on the inspection, that a second version of the package manager software is required to install the update to the package; and

updating the package manager software from the first version to the second version prior to installing the update to the package.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising installing, using the second version of the package manager software, the update to the package on the client.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein inspecting the requirements for the update to the package comprises extracting a version of the package manager software required to install the update to the package.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining that the second version of the package manager software is required to install the update to the package comprises comparing the extracted version with the first version of the package manager software.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein updating the package manager software from the first version to the second version comprises:

accessing, using the first version of the package manager software, a package comprising the second version of the package manager software;

removing the first version of the package manage software from the client; and

installing the second version of the package manager software on the client.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the package further comprises files associated with installing the update to the package.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the update to the package comprises an identification of dependencies of the package with the second version of the package manager software.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the package manager software is updated and the update to the package is installed by an update tool associated with the package manager.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising notifying a user of the client that the second version of the package manager software is required to install the update to the package.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the second version of the package manager software is more than one iteration from the first version of the package manager software.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

determining at least one resource on the client for which an update is necessary to support the second version of the package manager software; and

updating the determined at least one resource on the client.